


Queen Of My Castle

by frogfarm



Category: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Genre: Cyborgs, Evopsych, F/F, Flirting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-21
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 22:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/892805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogfarm/pseuds/frogfarm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A successful infiltrator knows how to flirt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Queen Of My Castle

**Author's Note:**

> Post-"Queen's Gambit" (1x05).

"Cameron?"

The cyborg in question considers her options. She chose this corner of the lunchroom for direct line of sight on John, as well as its proximity to the fire exit. Also, the relative isolation helps conceal her comparative lack of appetite.

She's taking longer than usual to calculate a response, because this morning John told her again to not act like a freak. That a steel plate in her head will only excuse so much strange behavior, and the first thing to do is quit saying *yes* when *yeah* will do nicely. And it wouldn't kill her to say hello to someone -- better yet, just *hi*.

"You want me to socialize."

From across the table Sarah glares at the cyborg, busily engaged in packing her son's lunch.

"Whatever you want to call it." John accepts the bag of food and accompanying ritual kiss with stoic grace. "Just don't get too popular."

All probabilities indicate that at some point in years to come, John Connor will change his last name to Reese. They also indicate that some day, somewhere, some *when*, John will immerse himself for months in the fields of of neuro-linguistic programming and evolutionary psychology. He will apply that knowledge to the study of Skynet, code it into the fundamental building blocks of an AI matrix, and upload the results to a captured experimental model terminator, fresh off the Cyberdyne assembly line. Everything in his life, everything that he loves, will be written into her.

This female's cues place her at the bottom of the pecking order. Unlikely to have much contact with others. Threat level assessed as low.

"Do you want to sit with me?"

"Oh -- thanks." The girl looks pathetically grateful as she slides into the chair. Cameron knows this look well, even if odds are against it being the result of slavery, starvation and protracted carpet bombing.

"I know you." The girl looks scared, and Cameron increases her reassurance level. "I saw you in the bathroom. Last week."

"Right." The girl's smile is still nervous. "You stood up to Lydia Hortiz, and I thought --" She swallows, looks down at her food. "I thought that was really cool."

Cameron has already replayed the scene. Apparently, her words had been interpreted as an establishment of dominance. This is not good. It increases the risk of unnecessary violence that does not further mission objectives, and may jeopardize them.

"I didn't want a fight."

"Yeah -- I get that." The girl is rearranging her food rather than consuming it. While Cameron is familiar with this behavior, she has never actually observed it in practice.

"I really like those." The girl indicates the fuzzy arm coverings Cameron picked out at the thrift store. "One of Lydia's crew? She was just going on and on, like -- who would actually *wear* those? But --" She blushes, ducks her head, dark bangs obscuring her eyes.

"Thank you." Cameron is still weighing if she should ask this girl's name. Better to wait and see if it's offered.

"Hey --" The girl looks around, furtive, as if afraid of being observed. She leans closer and Cameron mimics the motion, not enough to scare her into drawing away. "I heard you had to go see Mister Harris?"

"The guidance counselor." Cameron nods. "He asked if I was the last person to talk to Jordan. I didn't know."

"That creep." The girl's face twists and contorts, adding to this assessment. "You should seriously stay away from him. I mean it."

Cameron's threat weight algorithms cause a brief load spike.

"Why?"

"I just..." The girl's gaze falls once more to her half-eaten sandwich. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Thank you." Cameron tests her main hypothesis. "That's sweet."

The girl blushes, more furious than before. This lends strong credence.

"Hey." John stands by the table, backpack hitched over one shoulder. He offers a disinterested wave to the girl. "Mom's here."

"Lucky," Cameron's new friend grouses, as the cyborg gathers her things and stands. "Wish I got to leave early."

"It was nice meeting you."

John tries not to watch the girl, trying not to stare as Cameron walks away. Then again, half the lunchroom isn't even trying.

"Watch yourself."

"Huh?" The girl looks up. John sighs.

"Just looking out for you."

 

**


End file.
